A Matching Set
by raynesupreme
Summary: River takes ill and Jayne is asked to sit with her. Post-BDM.


Title: A Matching Set

Format: One-shot?, 1,300 words

Author: raynesupreme

_Disclaimer: Just a bit of fic. Nothin' to be suin' over._

Didn't seem fair. Girl could take out a whole bar, could slice and dice a dozen Reavers, but couldn't fight off a common cold. Doc said somethin' 'bout her resistance or immune system not being strong enough. Seemed ta' him she was plenty strong. Ain't the way she should go out. Fighters should go down fightin'.

Doc said it was amazin' she weren't dead already. Maybe she was fightin', just not in the way none of them could see. Still didn't seem fair.

It was going on three days now that the lil' crazy been laid up in the infirmary, lookin' more fragile and tiny then he ever thought possible. 'Course he hadn't wanted to look on her too close but now that he knew it weren't catchin', Jayne had taken to walkin' the long way 'round so he could peer in. No harm in just checkin' on her on occasion is all.

Earlier tonight, he figured he'd just step in ta' check on her a bit closer up. And to be honest, he weren't sure he'd do it again. The girl was just there, not moving but for a few shallow breaths and her skin looked so paper thin, he coulda' sworn he could see every vein. Truth was, it scared the shit outta' him. He'd seen all manner of death but he ain't never saw somethin' so distrubin' as River dying slow like that.

Jayne now stared into the blackness of his bunk, cursin' the Doc fer' not being able to fix her. What use was there him being so gorram smart if he couldn't cure his sis when she fell ill? The anger he felt closin' at his throat was somethin' he couldn't fight, just like he couldn't fight whatever it was had a death grip on the girl. Jayne was drownin' in his uselessness.

Over the months since Miranda, he'd done everythin' he could ta' keep the crew safe. Even went so far as to teachin' 'em to shoot proper with his own guns. Now, lil' crazy had gone and got sick and there weren't nothin' any of them could do but wait.

A poundin' on his hatch had him jumpin' straight up. "Jayne, Jayne, wake up. Get your pi gu up here now."

Jayne threw on some clothes and scrambled up the ladder. "What's going on, Mal?"

"It's River," Mal said. "She's askin' fer ya'."

"Fer' me?"

"Dunno why but she's throwin' a fit and Doc thought it best to humor her." Mal grabbed him by the shoulder. "Ain't sure how long she's got, Jayne, so just try ta' keep her calm, dong ma?"

"Sure, Mal, but why she askin' fer me," he questioned dumbfounded.

"Just keep her calm and help her pass if it comes to that."

With that, Mal stalked back toward the mess, looking sadder than Jayne had ever seen, even worse than when they lost Wash and Book.

Jayne peered into the infirmary. The Doc was tryin' ta' keep the girl on the bed, holdin' her shoulders down, murmuring to her to relax and calm down.

"Hey Doc."

Simon looked startled at the interruption. "Jayne, come in."

"Jayne." That from the girl, stretchin' out her thin arm to him.

Simon pulled him aside. "River has a very high fever. I can't risk giving her any additional medication right now. I was just tryin' to cool her down with some cold water. She's delusional and keeps asking for you. I need to check the cortex for some information. Can you see if you can get her to calm down some? Sit with her for a bit?"

Jayne saw the worry and pain on the Doc's face, a brand of worryin' he hadn't seen from him before. He looked over at the girl, her arm still stretchin' out to him as if she was using her last bit of strength to reach out ta' him.

"Sure, Doc. Just be quick about it. Ain't understandin' why she's wantin' me and you know I ain't one for nursin'."

"I know, Jayne, just keep her quiet. She needs to rest. The biggest hope we have is that the fever will break and her body can fight through the rest on her own."

Jayne watched as Simon kissed the girl's outstretched hand, crossing it back over her body, and placing it gently to rest on her chest. He said a quick goodbye and rushed up toward the bridge.

"Jayne?"

Jayne pulled a seat over next to the bed, lookin' about for somethin' to do with his hands. The girl had her own ideas it seemed on that accord and leaned up, grabbing his hands in her own.

"Hey, girlie," he greeted her lamely. "How you feelin'?"

"Oh, bao bei. I missed you so much. Where have you been?"

Bao bei? Girl surely was delusional. Jayne was about to tell her as much but the look on her face stopped him in his tracks. He'd never seen her look on anyone the way she was lookin' on him. There was such love and longin' there that it almost pained him. He figured there was no sense correctin' a dying girl. Just play along like Mal said.

"Oh, you know me. Workin' and what not."

"Oh," River relaxed back against the bed. "Who's watching Tommy?"

Tommy? Don't know no one named Tommy, he thought. He was confused but now that River was calmin' some, he sure weren't gonna get her all riled up again. Except he didn't exactly know how ta' answer the question.

"Jayne? Is Tommy with your Ma?"

"Yeah, yes," he whispered. "Tommy's with Ma,"

The girl's fingers were rubbing slow, little circles in his palm. Kinda nice, kinda sexy.

"Good, I get my husband to myself for a while. I'm sorry I'm so sleepy. It seems this little one is sapping my energy."

Jayne gulped when she brought his hand to cover her tummy. He was shocked that his hand almost spanned the width of her narrow hips. He'd never touched her before, least not like this. His thigh might have brushed up against hers at dinner, or his fists meeting hers during their training sessions, but this, this was downright confusing. Crazy girl thought they were married and expectin' a little one no less. Laying his hand on her tummy like this made something sorrowful turn in his chest. Weren't fair the girl might leave the 'verse not having a man, or a baby, iff'n that's what she wanted.

"Well, girlie, maybe ya' should just rest up then."

He removed his hand slowly, finding a washing bin on the floor next to his foot. He squeezed the cool water from the cloth and gently wiped her face. It seemed like their little chat had her sweating like she'd run a mile through the desert.

She purred in response to the cool cloth. The sound was low and growly and absolutely delicious.

"Yes, rest," she mumbled, her eyes rollin' closed, her head fallin' to the side.

Jayne let out a deep breath he didn't know he'd been holdin'. He could plainly see the pulse still throbbing in her throat and he wasn't sure if he'd ever been more thankful for anything in his life. He sat a moment more starin' at her face, wishin' for a quick second that he'd get to see her light up like that again. She sure was a pretty thing, even all sickly like this.

Seein' as she was sleepin' now, he figured he'd go update Simon. Weren't no sense in sharin' anything about their little chat. Figured that bit of nonsense was just between them. He'd just say that she was back to restin'. The chair made the slightest of sounds as he pushed out of it.

"Jayne," she whispered, her eyes still closed. "Do you care what it is?"

He scowled, not knowin' what she was on about now. But she was half-asleep and she needed her rest.

"No, girlie. I don't care what it is."

She sighed and pulled the blanket to her chin. "Good, 'cause it's a little girl this time and she'll look just like me."

His heart skipped a beat and he found himself smilin' in response. He pulled her blanket up further and let himself the luxury of stroking the hair off her cheek.

"That's good, bao bei. I always wanted a matching set."


End file.
